Light and fluffy peaches and cream cake, filled with mascarpone whipped cream & brown sugar peaches.
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peaches and cream cake
It’s peach szn and nothing beats a fresh peach at this time! This peaches and cream cake starts with a super light and fluffy vanilla cake – the same one you see in my tiramisu cake – with a little lemon zest added to it. It all gets baked as one thick cake that we’ll split into 3 sections. The middle layers are filled with fresh peaches that are macerated with a little brown sugar and lemon juice, along with a super fluffy, creamy & delicious mascarpone whipped cream.
The only thing special you’ll need is a 7″ springform pan (or 6″ for a taller cake) – you can find the one I used here. But other than that, this cake is super easy to make. So let’s get into it! 🙂
why you’ll love this peaches and cream cake:
- It’s super light and fluffy: we’re adding whipped egg whites into the vanilla cake to make it extra light and fluffy.
- Fresh peaches: we’re not cooking or baking the peaches, so you get a ton of delicious fresh peach flavor in every bite of this cake.
- Mascarpone whipped cream: my new current obsession that I’ll be putting on every cake from now on.
expert baking tips
Weigh your ingredients:
My recipes are all written in grams because it is the most accurate way to bake. When you use a kitchen scale, you ensure that your baked goods turn out as close to the written recipe as possible. Plus, the cleanup is way easier when using a scale! I will provide standard cup measurements but please note that I have not tested the recipe using cup measurements and therefore can not guarantee your recipe will come out how mine did. Here is my favorite kitchen scale.
Be careful when mixing the cake batter:
When you over-mix your batter, you create more gluten in the batter which will make your cake go from light and moist to dense and chewy. When you mix in the wet ingredients, be sure to only mix just until that last streak of flour disappears.
Use room temperature ingredients:
This is super important for allowing the batter to come together smoothly. You’ll want to take your ingredients out of the fridge about an hour before baking to allow them enough time to come to room temperature.
Keep a close eye on the cake while it bakes:
Cakes and cupcakes like to go from under-baked to over-baked super quickly so it is important to keep a close eye on them. I’d recommend that you start checking on the cake around 35 minutes.
BE CAREFUL WHEN BEATING THE FILLING
When you’re beating together the mascarpone with the vanilla and sugar, you’ll really only want to mix it for ~30 seconds, just until it’s all combined. Mascarpone likes to get weird and clumpy the longer you beat it, as opposed to ingredients like butter and cream cheese which get nice and smooth.
A note on oven temperature:
Ovens vary and fluctuate in temperature and might not always actually be at the temperature they claim to be at. If you love to bake like I do, I highly recommend getting an oven thermometer. They are super helpful for letting you know when your oven might be lying to you! I use this one.
ingredients for peaches and cream cake:
vanilla cake:
- All purpose flour: gives the cake structure.
- Baking powder: for helping the cake rise.
- Salt: for balancing and bringing out the sweetness of the batter.
- Unsalted butter: for tenderizing the cake and for flavor. You can substitute in salted butter, just be sure to omit the extra salt in the batter.
- Vegetable oil: for tenderizing the cake. If you don’t have vegetable oil on hand, you can use another neutral oil such as canola.
- Lemon zest: to bring some citrus-y life to the cake and to compliment the peaches
- Granulated sugar: for adding sweetness and for locking in moisture.
- Egg whites: for binding the batter together, adding moisture, and for making the cake super light and fluffy.
- Vanilla: for flavor.
- Sour cream & whole milk: for moisture and for tenderizing the cake. I recommend full-fat for both of these for the best texture, but low-fat or non-dairy alternatives should work well here.
Peaches:
- Yellow peaches: or white peaches, or a combination of both! The only requirement here is that they are fresh.
- Light brown sugar: for a bit of sweetness and to help draw some juices out of the peaches – in a pinch granulated sugar will work here as well.
- Lemon juice: to brighten up the peaches – fresh or bottled will work here≥
Mascarpone whipped cream:
- Mascarpone: a rich and creamy base for the frosting.
- Vanilla: for flavor, you can use extract or vanilla bean paste.
- Light brown sugar: for a bit of sweetness – in a pinch granulated sugar will work here as well.
- Heavy whipping cream: to make the cream light and fluffy.
how to make peaches and cream cake
Below are some images of what the cake looks like at various points of the process. You can find the full recipe at the end of the blog post!
- Make the cake batter by beating the dry ingredients with the butter, then beat in the wet ingredients and fold in whipped egg whites.
- Bake the cake.
- Mix the fresh peaches with brown sugar and lemon juice to macerate them.
- Make the mascarpone whipped cream – beat together the mascarpone, sugar & vanilla – then beat in the heavy whipping cream.
- Once the cake has cooled to room temperature, slice it in half horizontally 2 times to get 3 layers.
- Layer the cake with the mascarpone cream and peaches – chill for 10 minutes – then slice, serve, and enjoy!
peaches and cream cake recipe q&a
Can I bake this cake in a different sized pan?
You could bake this in a 8″ springform. Just note that the cake and cream layer will be a tad thinner.
can I make this cake ahead of time?
Definitely! You can bake the cake up to two days in advance and keep it stored in an airtight container at room temperature. I would recommend waiting to make and fill the cake with the cream and peaches until the day you want to serve it, so you don’t have to keep it stored in the fridge where it will dry out faster.
how to store peaches and cream cake
Once you fill the cake, you’ll want to keep it stored in an airtight container in the fridge, where it will keep well for about 3 days. Just note that it will dry out faster since it’s in the fridge.
tools and ingredients:
You can find all my favorite tools and ingredients that I use on my Amazon Storefront page, here!
other recipes you might enjoy:
did you make this recipe?
I’d love to see and know your thoughts! please leave a comment and review below, and tag me on instagram @freshbeanbakery. #freshbeanbakery
Peaches and Cream Cake
Ingredients
Vanilla Cake
- 150 g all purpose flour (1 ¼ c.)
- 1 ¼ tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. salt
- 175 g granulated sugar (¾ c. + 2 tbsp.)
- Zest of 1 medium-sized lemon
- 85 g unsalted butter cubed, room temperature (6 tbsp.)
- 25 g vegetable oil (2 tbsp.)
- 1 tbsp. vanilla
- 60 g sour cream room temperature (¼ c.)
- 100 g whole milk room temperature (¼ c. + 3 tbsp.)
- 2 egg whites room temperature
Brown Sugar Peaches
- 3 medium-sized peaches (6 oz.)
- 2 tbsp. light brown sugar
- 2 tbsp. lemon juice
Mascarpone Whipped Cream
- 226 g mascarpone (1 c.)
- 1 tbsp. light brown sugar
- 1 ½ tsp. vanilla
- 225 g heavy whipping cream (1 c.)
Instructions
Vanilla Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C. Butter a 7" springform pan*, then coat the inside with sugar.
- To a medium sized mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, cubed butter, and zest of 1 lemon. Use a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment to beat the mixture together until the butter has completely combined with the dry ingredients and no lumps remain.
- Add in the oil, vanilla, sour cream and milk. Whisk the ingredients together just until a cohesive batter has formed.
- In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until they reach stiff peaks.
- Add the egg whites to the batter and gently fold them into the batter until the mixture is cohesive.
- Pour the cake batter into your prepared pan. Bake for 35-45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with only a few moist crumbs.
- Allow the cake to rest in the cake pan for at least 15 minutes before transferring it out to a cooling rack.
Brown Sugar Peaches
- While the cake is cooling, make the brown sugar peaches. Slice the peaches into thin slices.
- Add the peaches to a medium sized mixing bowl, and toss them with the brown sugar and lemon juice. Set the peaches in the fridge until you're ready to assemble the cake.
Mascarpone Whipped Cream
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl with a hand or stand mixer, beat together the mascarpone, sugar, and vanilla just until the mixture is cohesive.
- Slowly beat in the heavy whipping cream. Once all of the heavy cream has been added, beat the mixture just until stiff peaks form.
- Place the mascarpone whipped cream in the fridge until you're ready to assemble the cake.
Assembling the Cake
- Once the cake has completely cooled to room temperature, carefully slice the cake twice horizontally to get 3 even layers
- Place a fine mesh sieve over a bowl. Pour the peaches into the fine mesh sieve to remove the liquid from them.
- Place the bottom half of the cake back into the springform pan, and brush half of the peach liquid over the cake.
- Spread 1/3 of the mascarpone whip onto the bottom cake layer, followed by 1/2 of the peaches.
- Place the middle cake layer on top, then brush the remaining peach juice over it.
- Spread 1/2 of the remaining mascarpone whipped cream on to the cake, followed by the remaining peaches.
- Place the top cake layer on top, pushing it down slightly to secure it.
- Cover the cake with plastic wrap and leave it in the fridge to set for at least 10 minutes.
- Once you're ready to serve the cake, spread the remaining mascarpone whipped cream on top. If desired, garnish with an additional sliced peach (no brown sugar/lemon juice required!) Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Please note that the nutrition facts are only an estimate and may vary based on different brands of ingredients and any substitutions made.
omg i made this cake for my moms birthday and it was sooooo delicious!!! this was my first time ever baking as well and it was a super easy recipe to follow, i can’t wait to try more!!
Ah thank you so much Nellie, and happy belated birthday to your mom! ☺︎